Jake Novak's Morning Business Briefing, 12/30

STOCKS/ECONOMY

-Stock futures are higher after Tuesday's 68-point loss for the Dow, a similar 0.2 percent drop for the S&P 500, and 0.4 percent decline for the Nasdaq. Investors remain focused on the battle to increase COVID-19 stimulus checks to $2,000 from the current $600 level.

-The yield on the 10-year Treasury bond is up to 0.94 percent, with the 2-year yield 81 basis points behind at 0.13 percent. 

-Gold is at the $1,883 per ounce level. Bitcoin is up to the $27,800 level, and earlier today it was as high as $28,600.

-Asian markets were mostly higher today, led by a 2.1 percent rally for Hong Kong's Hang Seng index. Shanghai's Shenzhen composite rose 1.1 percent, while Japan's Nikkei fell 0.5 percent.

-China revised its 2019 GDP numbers lower after taking a $77 billion decrease in manufacturing into account.

OIL/ENERGY

-U.S. crude prices are up about 1 percent and at the $48 a barrel level.

-Gasoline prices are at $2.25 a gallon, national average.

CORONAVIRUS LATEST

-The U.K. has approved the COVID-19 vaccine developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca. The shot is expected to be rolled out next week and would be added to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine which has so far been given to 600,000 people in Britain. AstraZeneca shares are just slightly higher in London market trading and are still down about 2 percent for the year.

-German biotech CureVac is in the midst of a mid- to late-stage trial of its COVID-19 vaccine candidate. CureVac shares are up 7 percent in the premarket.

-The $600 stimulus payments began being made Tuesday night via direct deposit, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin says paper checks will begin being sent out today.

-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has introduced a bill that would boost the size of COVID-19 stimulus checks to $2,000, repeal the Section 230 legal liability protections for internet platforms, and create a commission to study election issues. Democrats are not likely to support the new bill and it's clear if McConnell will have enough Republican votes to pass it. 

-Colorado health officials have confirmed the first case of the new COVID-19 strain here in the U.S. This is the same strain first discovered in the U.K. and is believed to be up to 70 percent more contagious. 

-U.S. Congressman-elect Luke Letlow from Louisiana, who was 41 years old, has died after a battle with COVID-19, his spokesman announced Tuesday night.

IPO MANIA

-Companies raised $167.2 billion with IPO's on U.S. exchanges this year through Dec. 23, compared with the previous record of $107.9 billion at the height of the dot-com boom in 1999.

-Israeli company SimilarWeb, which provides online traffic intelligence, is readying for an IPO on Nasdaq, and aiming for a valuation of $2 billion.

INTEL PRESSURE

-Activist hedge fund Third Point has taken a significant stake in Intel and is urging management to explore strategic alternatives. That news sent Intel shares 5 percent higher Tuesday, but they're down 1 percent in the premarket this morning. Intel shares are down 17 percent for the year.

JD JUMP

-Chinese e-commerce company JD.com is exploring a potential spin-off of its JD Cloud & AI unit, according to an SEC filing. JD.com shares are up about 2 percent in the premarket after rising 6 percent Tuesday. JD.com shares are up 145 percent for the year.

MOVING AMERICA

-While most automakers suffered COVID-related sales losses this year, Hyundai/Kia boosted its U.S. market share as it offered a slate of new sport-utility vehicles that resonated with buyers.